Start slowly—but make it count. "Don't overdo it your first week,"says Pellot. "Aim to keep your heart rate between 65 and 85 percent of your maximum beats-per-minute—that's a clever way to maximize your workout without killing yourself."

Progress quickly."Vary your speed and intensity every few minutes while doing cardio," Nesfield says." It will help you see results within a couple of weeks."

__Keep it up.__It may seem counterintuitive, but soreness doesn't mean stop. "Working out will increase blood flow to the sore areas, which will help flush the build-up of lactic acid and other toxins from the muscle tissue," says Pellot. "The result is a higher tolerance to fatigue and muscle soreness, as well as faster recovery."